It's to share my excitement and experience in using my new inflatable AF Convertible (single/double) kayak on the lakes and rivers of Ontario

Monday, April 26, 2010

Trip #2: The Bottle (Lake) uncorked! - April 24, 2010

Saturday, April 24, 2010
Three weeks after first trip the weather became favorable again and I decided to fulfill uncompleted route to the Bottle and Sucker Lakes. This time all the maps were in my pocket, GPS was tuned to the shortest way from home to the bridge at Catchacoma Lake, the car was loaded from the night and it seems nothing could prevent me to have a great journey.

At 8:10 AM I left my home heading to 404, 48, 12 and...surprise-surprise: When I turned right from 12 to Regional Road 15 I saw a big sign "ROAD CLOSED". As a doubting Thomas I drove 2-3 km on the empty road until came to rest against real road closure with the fence closed and bridge fully destroyed. No way.
I consulted my road map and GPS and decided to make a detour to the North. I followed 12 to 48 on East (near Talbot river, where a year ago we tested our kayak for the first time), then 48 to 46 South and then back to Regional 15 (aka hwy 8) which brought me to the Fenelon Falls and further to hwy 36, 507 North and finally to Beaver Lake Road East where in 4 km the public launch site was near the bridge. It was 11:00 AM. In 30 min I was into my Inflatable Advanced Frame Convertible Solo Version and ready to go.

This time I follow strictly right bank of the South East Inlet of the Catchacoma Lake to come to the Bottle Creek Inlet by the shortest way.

And indeed it took me 35 min to come to the dam on the Bottle Creek. It was the first short portage (about 40 m on the rolled rocks along the East side of the Creek ). It was the place where from we turned back last time. Now I spent less than half an hour to move kayak and gear on the other side of the dam (about 1-2 m up the stream). Ahead of me was almost straight water lane 20-50 m wide and about 3 km long - Bottle Creak - leading me Eastward to the Bottle Lake.

Campsite on the left (North) bank of the Bottle Creek near it's mouth at the Bottle Lake

On the Bottle Lake at the portage to the Sucker Lake (160 m).

View on the portage from the kayak above.

View on the portage from the Sucker Lake.

Day campsite on the right (South) bank of the Bottle Creek at it's mouth on the Bottle lake

.

Cottage under construction on the way back when approaching the bridge on the Beaver lake road